"...because I think religion of infinitely higher importance than politics..." Patrick Henry, 1796

Recently, I've been in discussions about the religious views of our nation's Founding Fathers. Titling those words is appropriate, I believe, because we've come to accept that specific label for the group of men pictured...among others.

The point of contention with most people seems center around whether or not our country was founded as a Christian nation...and I personally believe that argument to be dubious at best if not all together moot.

Nazi Germany of 1940 was a 'Christian' nation...

The outcry from most Christians is that Progressives are rewriting history to try to eliminate the role religion played during the infancy of America. There's little to no doubt  that may be true, but Christians are just as guilty of the very same deceptions.

And shouldn't we be the bigger person in the room?

History too well records the atheistic beliefs prevalent in the writings of Thomas Jefferson and the straight up blasphemy of both Benjamin Franklin and John Adams (a proclaimed Unitarian). Thomas Paine, a renowned Deist, wrote I would not dare to so dishonor my Creator God by attaching His name to that book (the Bible). So why do we deny these facts, or even worse, corrupt and distort them?

While the motive may be a noble defense of Christian legitimacy, the resulting effects of altering the truths of history are far more destructive to the cause of our faith. The Church has been in continuous existence since Pentecost following the Ascension of Christ (Acts 2:1-6), and far more damage has been done to His cause as a result of alterations to the true message as opposed to direct attacks on Christian principles (Inquisitions, Crusades and stake burnings come to mind). God's Word will stand until the very end, and all we need to do is promote and defend that Truth as presented in the Holy Bible. God doesn't need America to facilitate His will...actually...He doesn't need anything from us. Christianity existed long before this nation came along and will continue to exist should our country ever fail and fall.

Jesus didn't come to embrace the Roman Empire of the first century.  He lived under its rule and was executing in accordance with its laws. Jesus came to fulfill God's will...His plan for our redemption. Christ came and established a personal connection with but a very few people, yet from those connections...a movement of historically unmatched precedence was formed. That fact doesn't require embellishment or exaggeration on any one's part...especially Christians.

We've become both spoiled and ignorant in this country, and I state that with a grateful but heavy heart. We're overindulged with the luxuries resulting from numerous civil liberties. Religious persecution is a concept that exist only in other parts of the world, and its absence has resulting in a softening of our core beliefs. Very few people can tell you why they truly believe what they proclaim to believe because their ideas are largely unchallenged in a diverse culture of acceptance. Complacency has also replaced an undying quest for knowledge, and we've become a society content with lazily accepting what we hear or read without question. Critical thinking is slowly dying...even among those most educated in our midst.

Nothing good will ever come from distorting the truth. Nothing. Even when that truth isn't necessarily what we want to hear. The reality of fact that Jefferson, Franklin or Adams weren't men of Christian faith in no way hampers my pride as an American or lessens the contribution they made to form the greatest of nations. On the other hand as a Christian, it pains me dearly to think such great men died unwilling to accept an eternal gift given by a most gracious Creator. But then... that could just as well be easily said about anyone else who fails to believe. Why? Because Thomas Jefferson is no more important in God's eyes than the other lowly thief that hung beside His Son that dark day and refused to accept who Jesus was and died in his sins.

By altering the truth of history, we lessen the greatness and impact of men who were in fact good Christians and major contributors in the founding of our country...men like Samuel Adams, Alexander Hamilton and Patrick Henry.  Face facts...our Founding Fathers were just not all wearing the same hat of piousness and no amount of revision in our minds will push some of our historical heroes through the gates of Heaven. So, don't be guilty of putting the two thieves on the same cross...Jesus made a promise but to one of them...the one who saw and accepted the Truth.

Was our country founded as a Christian nation?

I'm not exactly sure how that really matter over 200 years later. The more important question to ask is exactly what are each of us doing today to shine as individual lights for our Savior? After all, that's what we've been commanded to do...

In God we trust...unless you're offended by that of course.

Okay...I stirred up more than one lengthy comment thread on various social media sites with my last post. Good. That was my intent.

When it comes to public office, I'm a firm believer that all issues concerning a given candidate running for office are fair game. Do I like seeing or reading dirty laundry? Absolutely not. But we all own the actions or words we chose daily, so why should political candidates be any different?

Choosing to ignore a candidate's view on matters of faith is only adding to the marginalization of faith already dominating this country. Now I'm being completely transparent on this issue. There's no hidden agenda. I'm a Christian voter who places a lot of emphasis on the adjective in that label. Removing my Christian values from any decision-making process is counter intuitive at best...blatant disregard for my faith at worst (Romans 12:2 among others)...so I shouldn't  feel pressure from the political correctness police to wave off or disregard the issue when it comes to voting.
Apparently, I'm far from alone when it comes to Romney. This past weekend, Pew Research conducted a survey of 1007 voting adults that included an open-answer description giving one-word responses-

Given the amount of negative connotations associated in the survey with the other two candidate's names, Herman Cain should be lauding these results. I don't know if I'm more intrigued by Perry's list or Cain's...but I had to chuckle that 19 people associated pizza with Cain. Once a pizza-chain mogul always a pizza-chain mogul...I suppose.

It was really good pizza.

So what's my point in all of this? Believe me, I'm not trying to steer people away from Mitt Romney. All things considered, he is a highly qualified candidate. Also, that is a personal matter for each individual voter.  I just don't want the left-leaning media, the out-of-control train called political correctness, or any political caucus for that matter telling me I shouldn't consider the faith of a candidate running for the highest office in our Nation...or any other office for that matter.

That's a clear contradiction to my individual right to practice my religion which is actually in the Constitution. Try finding the words separation of church and state in the same document...  

Hang on! We're in for a bumpy ride...

Most people knew it was coming, but I have to admit I'm surprised a Baptist pastor fired the shot and not the liberal-leaning, Godaphobes in the media. But then again...

Personally, I have very divided feeling about my subject matter today. As a conservative, I really like a lot of what Mitt Romney brings to the table. He's just center-right enough to appeal to a broad base of the voting public, and frankly, his platform is pretty solid when compared to the other Republican candidates in my opinion.

Let me pause right here for a moment for a disclaimer. If you're new to this blog, please note I'm not a R-party or D-party kind of guy. I have numerous issues with BOTH parties, there just happen to be fewer of them with the R's at the moment. I'm not a "dang you!" Barrack Obama flag waver either (or finger waver for that matter). My issues are with his policies...not his persona. Now back to the show...

As a constitutionalist, I understand the grave importance of keeping religion and politics separate issues. That's not saying that religion doesn't have part in matters of politics. Democratic governments are obligated to protect any one's right to practice their faith without risk or threat of persecution. Religion just shouldn't run the state as you see in some Muslim countries. Faith is a matter of choice by God's design...not mandated by legislation.

As a Christian...my position gets a bit more muddled. Having declared the first two positions as a conservative and a constitutionist, it almost seems hypocritical to say I have a problem voting for a candidate who is a known Mormon....but honestly...I do. Above every other adjective, attribute or modifier that can be used to categorized me, I'm a follower of Jesus first and foremost. Period.

That's just how I roll...

Should it matter what faith the leader of our country professes and follows?  Absolutely. As a man of faith and an advocate for Christ, I don't see how it could be any other way if I truly believe what I claim to believe. I can't wholeheartedly trust in and share the Holy Bible while voluntarily supporting someone who believes that same Bible is flawed and incomplete. If you're curious exactly what Mormonism teaching, here is an excellent overview.

Before you start throwing the 'judge not lest you be judged' spears at me, this isn't a matter of rendering eternal damnation judgement on anyone. Not my call, and believe me, I'm cool with that. This is about choice. This is about principles. For me, it boils down to this...does my confidence in the man's ability to effectively lead this nation become overshadowed by my complete sadness at his choice to put his faith in a deluded religion?

Would I vote for a Muslim? An atheist? How about a Scientologist?


Yes...that is a very personal matter. But it's also a fundamental question Christians better reflect upon before casting what could be a decisive vote in any election.

You need to crack eggs for an omlet...not just be cracked holding an egg.

The King James Bible is 400 years old today...

Arguably the most influential book translation in the history of mankind, the Authorized King James Version was first published on May 2, 1611 by Robert Barker, the King's Printer, after an exhaustive seven year effort by 37 scholars of the day. By the way, all of those scholars were members of the Church of England...for what it's worth.

The King James Version had a rough beginning because after the good King James (eye roll) commissioned the Hampton Court Conference to undertake the translating task, work was delayed several months due to an outbreak of that nasty thing called the plague back in post-Middle Ages Europe.

The Puritans were not very happy...about the plague or the church at the time.

But, that's what kicked off the whole endeavor from the start. As Jimmy the First (James I) was travelling to London to officially stake claim to his new headgear, the crafty Puritans hit him up early with an official list of complaints called the Millenary Petition. Seems they weren't very thrilled with the direction of the Church of England at the time because it was too closely resembling that other church headed up in Rome. Henry VIII had made it perfectly clear during his reign half a century earlier that the throne in England was not under papal authority, so he went and started his own church...sorta. Roman Catholic Cardinal Thomas Wolsey had made Henry mad because he wouldn't let him divorce his first wife, Queen Catherine. How dare he? Also, the ruler just prior to Jimmy was Elizabeth #1, and she had basically just put a temporary bandage on the Protestant-Catholic open wound to get her through until she handed the baton to someone else.

So, those crazy Tudors had stirred up a religious cage-match just before James was coming to power, and he needed to calm things down between the Puritans (who denied being separatist from the Church of England), the Anglo-Catholics and all the other confused subjects in between. Hey...they carried pitchforks too you know.

So exactly what didn't the Puritans find to their liking to go crying to Jimmy about in the first place?

Knowing James was an avid debater and a little insecure in his own place between Heaven and throne(see Basilikon Doron), the Puritans jumped on board early with a list of complaints about the Church of England that included women administering baptism, bowing when the name of Jesus was spoken, the word Absolution, and reserved buggy spots near the entrance to the churches for all priest. Okay. I made that last one up, but they didn't like the title Priest either...for real.

Long story short, Jimmy tried to make everyone happy with the Hampton Court Conference, and he succeeded for the most part mainly because he convinced the translators to be completely accurate in their translating and to take...their...time. When all was said and done, most of England and Scotland mourned the death of James in 1625. Although, the Protestants and Catholics are still bitterly divided in Ireland after 400 years. Some things I guess just can't be fixed with time.

From all of this mass confusion, we have the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible. It's a darn good thing the Holy Spirit of God was directing the whole process from start to finish... darn good thing.

I ate Lucky Charms for breakfast....does that count?

All of these religious celebrations of late have me really confused...

Today is St. Patrick's Day, an official religious celebration for the Roman Catholic church (among others) honoring the patron saint of Ireland. There will be parades, festivals and general hoopla worldwide to include turning the Chicago River green in recognition of the 4th century bishop. I've read the original celebratory color was blue, but since Saint Patrick was well known to use the shamrock to illustrate the Holy Trinity to the...ahem...slower pagan Irish, green eventually won out. Bet people in Chicago wish it had stayed blue.

So celebrations will be in full bloom today and the Irish beer and whiskey will flow...

But wait. Didn't Lent just start. Is that just a fish thing? I couldn't help but notice McDonald's has the Filet-O-Fish at a special 2 for $3 price starting back on Ash Wednesday. But aren't you suppose to fast on Ash Wednesday? Why would I need 2 fish sandwiches then? Is that even really fish in those things? They always squirt the tartar sauce too far to one side too, and I end up with the stuff all over me, causing me to swear...I mean  fuss...and generally get aggravated and think bad things about some poor smuck working at McDonald's...

Wait! Where was I going with all this? Oh yes, so as I understand it, since St. Patrick's Day falls on Thursday this year, I don't have to worry about Lent or hoping the bishop of the local diocese gives dispensations from the normal Lenten regulations, and I can go about celebrating my 1/16th Irish heart out. Now we're talking! Except...I'm not exactly sure what I just said. Diocese? Dispensations? Wait! Isn't Lent about focusing on Jesus leading up to Good Friday and Easter Sunday? Wasn't I suppose to get all that out of my system by Fat Tuesday during Mardi Gra or Festival or Masquerade...aagggghhhh! It's just all too confusing!

I'm sure glad I'm a Protestant. Catholics have it rough this time of year! I'm going to McDonald's for lunch and having a Big Mac. Hope they don't get the sauce too far too one side. It always drips down your hand. Stupid smucks. So aggravating...

Revisionist only succeed if the majority remain silent...

After receiving a couple of emails and comments from folks in person, I believe I left a point unclear in my Knowledge is Important series (previous three post). My point of contention wasn't that Christianity didn't play a big part in the founding of our Nation...facts are just the opposite. Christians and Christian principles were a dominant underlying force in the shaping and developing of a governing framework. Revisionist would be hard pressed to rewrite that fact out of our history.

The problem is trying to fit those prominent square pegs into round holes. Some of the more famous characters in our illustrious history were not Christian men, and we do a great disservice not only to our history but to our claim that this Nation was founded on principles of Christ if we argue from the position that they were. I have great respect for Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams, but they were not Christian men (although all three believed in a Supreme Being).

Most scholars agree on a list of 204 unique individuals that make up the group we refer to as our 'Founding Fathers'. These are men who did one or more of the following:

• Signed the Declaration of Independence
• Signed the Articles of Confederation
• Attended the Constitutional Convention of 1787
• Signed the Constitution of the United States of America
• Served as Senators or U.S. Representatives in the First Federal Congress

The breakdown of the religious affiliation for the 204 Founding Fathers falling within the above criteria is:

• 88 Episcopalian/Anglican
• 30 Presbyterian
• 27 Congregationalist
• 7 Quaker
• 6 Dutch Reformed/German Reformed
• 5 Lutheran
• 3 Catholic
• 3 Huguenot
• 3 Unitarian
• 2 Methodist
• 1 Calvinist
• 29 unknown (does not necessarily mean no religious affiliation)

Jefferson and Franklin fall under Episcopalian...but as Deist. John Adams and Robert Paine are two of the three Unitarians. What this list doesn't account for, however, is the fact numerous members of this list changed affiliation during the course of their lifetimes. But, it is still plainly apparent that the vast majority of our Founding Fathers were influenced by the Christian faith.

One side note (for my historically-challenged faithful): The early Episcopal Church was formed during the American Revolution after the church was forced to break ties with the Church of England because clergy were required to swear allegiance to the British monarch and faced the penalty of treason.

Of course...breaking from England was the point of the entire American Revolution...but we all know church people have their own way of doing things.

"For my own part, I sincerely esteem [the Constitution] a system which without the finger of God, never could have been suggested and agreed upon by such a diversity of interests."
Alexander Hamilton -1787 after the Constitutional Convention

I would love to hear more of your thoughts. Do you feel there is a concerted effort to rewrite our Nation's history and downplay the role of the Christian faith in the forming of our Nation and subsequent Constitution?

Remember Jerry...it's not a lie if you believe it's true.

Well my guest post fell through today based on technical difficulties (read here: Tony not following instructions correctly), so I'll throw my two cents out on a subject that is in the news and breaking my heart.

Scientology has fallen on hard times.

(cricket noises)

I shutter.

Officially know as the Church of Scientology by people who don't understand the true definition and origin of the word church (from the Greek kyriakon which means thing belonging to the Lord), Scientology is...and I'll be nice...a made up belief system by science fiction writer, L. Ron Hubbard, started in 1953 as a continuation of the concepts found in his book Dianetics.

That's right. 1950's...Hubbard...science fiction...Dianetics. For those of you thinking the self-proclaimed, self-help book was a product of the 80's, think again. Hubbard died in 1986 and his book was repackaged and released by the now legally chartered Church of Scientology.

Same crap with new and improved wrappings...and an erupting volcano on the cover. uhhhhhhh

Now France is trying to rid their country of the cult. I normally wouldn't have a good thing to say about France...but bravo. The ironic part is the U. S. State Department is being critical of France for suppressing religious freedoms. The same State Department that branded Tea Party participants in the U.S. as possible domestic terrorist...

You read between those lines.

A French court ruled the sect (Scientology doesn't have legal status as an established religion in France) was guilty of organized fraud based on separate claims brought forward by two women. The sect was ordered to pay fines close to $1M and the organizations leader in that country was sentenced to two years in prison.

Vive la France! (God forgive me)

The cult...excuse me...sect has also seen an exodus of high profile members, a move which normally draws relentless, retribution from the Scientologist. Most recently, Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis defected. Rumors have Travolta leaving after Scientology spokesperson Tommie Davis stormed off a sound set during an interview taping of Nightline when he was asked if he believed in Xenu, the intergalactic warlord reportedly at the center of Scientology's theology. ABC aired the footage to the dismay of the group.

No...I'm not making this stuff up...they are. Click on the links.

The fact that the Church of Scientology is legitimized enough to actually be taken serious by anyone is beyond my understanding. Yet, the cult continues to recruit and promote for a fantastically outrageous system of beliefs that goes beyond the supernatural into the realm of extraterrestrial...fronting the likes of Cruise, Travolta and Alley to give validity to the organization.

The United States and Australia are the only two countries that recognize Scientology as a religion. France has gone on record in Parliament labeling it as a dangerous cult. Please tell me what kind of world we live in when France actually makes more sense than the United States?

There are some things much scarier than Halloween...

Faith in Flux study...worth a look.

Most mainstream media sources blurbed a sentence or two today about a recent study on religious affiliation in our country conducted by Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. Naturally, the spin was about large numbers moving away from religious affiliations and the underlying reasons why.

People leaving their faith is not a new trend...despite the Chicken Little approach of the media. The study focuses on people who claimed an affiliation and now consider themselves either unaffiliated or affiliated with another religion. The term religion is used mostly to differentiate sects of Christianity which are broken down into the two major categories of Catholic and Protestant. For those astute readers, I'm betting you already see an exploitable conclusion by the mainstream media who seem to love to hate Christians.

In the 75 page study available at Pew Forum, I was grabbed by these three findings/statements:

Age is another factor. Most people who left their childhood faith did so before turning 24, and a majority joined their current religion before 36.

"If people want to see a truly free market at work, they really should look at the U.S. religious marketplace," said Luis Lugo, director of the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life.
Sixteen percent of U.S. adults identified as unaffiliated in the 2007 survey; 7 percent of Americans described being raised unaffiliated, suggesting that many Americans end up leaving their religion for none.

About half of those who have become unaffiliated cited a belief that religious people are hypocritical, judgmental or insincere. Large numbers said they think religious organizations focus too much on rules, or that religious leaders are too focused on money and power.

That last one should break the heart of every Christian. I won't start a sermon here...just read those words over again. Better yet, take a few moments and read the entire study. There is a 9-page synopsis (CliffsNotes style) available at the website also. No spin... just an overview of the findings.

But, I'll encourage you one last time to read the whole study. Whenever you get to a table that shows percentages now unaffiliated with God...try to remember each number in those statistics is made up by real souls...people...young and old. As Christians, we should be more concerned with the souls than the numbers.

I'm not doing enough for my part, and that has got to change... God deserves a better effort.

Coexist can be a dangerous word for Christians.

I'm sure you've all seen one of these bumper stickers. On the surface, the message proposed is both positive and benign. The promotion of respect and tolerance was exercised by Jesus, as recorded in the Book of John (4:7-27), when He spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well. During this period of time, Jews held deep disdain for Samaritans, and a Jewish man speaking to a non-Jewish woman was an unheard occurrence.

As Christians, should we be less quick to ridicule or denounce religious views outside our own? A fair enough question. Paul states in his letters to Christians in Corinth, Greece to give none offense, neither Jew, Gentile, or the church of God. His reason is two fold: 1. Being offensive doesn't bring glory to God, and 2. it inhibits the ability to convey the message of salvation....our Great Commission as followers of Christ.

I personally fail in this area on a regular basis, and asking for tolerance (as well as humility) is in my daily prayers. The catalyst for this post is an article I read yesterday on CNN.com titled Episcopal minister defrocked after becoming a Muslim.

How does this happen? I repeated to myself over and over while reading about an ordained minister who actually thought she could be a Christian and a Muslim at the same time. While she embraces the beauty of Islam, she clings to her faith in Christ. How does this happen? How can people become so confused? Just look around brother. People are confusing the word tolerance with the word acceptance on a regular basis these days.

Yes, Jesus initiated conversation despite traditions with the Samaritan woman at the well, but He did so in order to deliver His message that He was the Living Water. Paul instructs Christians not to be offensive to other's beliefs, so we might deliver the message of Christ to a more receptive audience. The Word clearly states that the only way to the Father is through His Son.

During my 'dark years' of searching for Truth, I studied a number of theologies in detail. I understand that Jesus is mentioned by name in the Ko'ran more times than Mohammad; however, I also understand that Muslims do not recognize Christ as God. He was a prophet of great importance, but not God. That doesn't work for a true follower of Christ. Hinduism and Buddhism both acknowledge the importance of Jesus within the context of their beliefs, but not as the Son of God. The Savior of all men.

Here comes my swing at New Age...everyone can't be right. According to most New Age philosophy (and Oprah), there are many paths to God. Live a good life by helping others, don't worry about religious beliefs not your own, and we will all meet in Heaven someday. But that's not what the Bible says, and the Bible is the foundation of my faith as a Christian.

So, there is a huge difference between coexist with tolerance and coexist with acceptance. If you are a Muslim and I accept your belief in the Ko'ran, I am accepting the teachings of the Ko'ran and will no longer make effort to convey the message of the Bible. By doing so, I am denying the Muslim a chance to know the true path to God through Christ...and thus, I have failed my Savior.

I'll close with a short video from Lee Strobel who does an excellent job conveying the conflict of acceptance but the love in tolerance between Christians and Muslims, the worlds two largest faiths:

Don't take a knife to a gunfight....

The poor Israelis are taking a verbal beating from the United Nations for just trying to defend their sovereign borders. Naturally as one of their closest allies, the U.S. shares in part of the criticism...but what's new on that front. It always amuses me that France takes pleasure and every opportunity to scold us on the world stage. Apparently, the French have forgotten a major reason schnitzel isn't their national dish and Wagner's operas are not just heard in their original language because translation isn't necessary. Want to make someone from France uncomfortable? Just bring up WWII in conversation...bet the topic changes to global warming pretty fast. But I digress...

I'm completely perplexed by both the dubious and misguided response from the United Nation when it comes to Israel/Palestinian relations. It almost seems the U.N. is waiting for a Palestinian epiphanic moment when Muslims concertedly go, 'Hey, Jews aren't so bad. Maybe we shouldn't kill them and wipe them from the planet after all...Mecca lecca hi, mecca hiney ho.'

I just don't see it happening...

So, why is the world community bashing just Israel? I mean, Hamas had been lobbing Qassam rockets into their country for months from Gaza, and the Israelis got tired of it. You can only say 'Stop that...' so many times before you back it up with '...or else.' But, there's a broader understanding by Israel that has left them with few options. Psychologist tell us there are only two basic human responses when confronted with harm- fight or flight. Maybe this works in the collective as well. One thing is sure, Israel has never been a nation to back down from a fight. I love that about them, and I think most Americans share that sentiment.

The irony to me is most of the world siding with Hamas over Israel...Hamas! Known terrorist Hamas. The same Hamas killing fellow Muslims in the now minority Fatah party while shooting rockets into Israel at civilian targets. Great bunch of human beings in Hamas. We should open our arms real wide and welcome them into the world community with a big kiss...make that a French kiss.

I say let Israel do what they feel they've got to do, even if the fight extends to say, Iran...we sure don't seem to have the stomach for it anymore.

We're number 1...wait...You're number 1...wait...

"Why'd you go saying that?"

Normally, I won't blog about the sermons I hear on Sundays...it's too akin to plagiarism for me. Don't get me wrong. I have a Pastor very gifted at always leaving me with something to chew on each Sunday. This past Sunday was Youth Sunday at the church I attend, so the message was delivered by our Youth Pastor, also a gifted man of God. As he began speaking on commitment to God and putting Him first in our lives, it immediately connected with a blog I had drafted a few weeks back but never finished. The Sunday message was so attuned to the blog subject, I was certain my task was to finish and share it today.

I work with a man from China. He has lived here for about 7 years and 2 graduate degrees. His English is broken (at best), and he will often wander into my office to discuss the subtleties of our difficult, indigenous language. Always pleasant and mannerly, we jokingly exchange innocent jabs at each other's culture, which has been a field day for me of late with all the tainted products China has been shipping to the U.S.

One day at lunch, I asked what he observed to be the biggest difference between life in China and life in the U.S. After pausing a moment, he said the priorities of the people in each culture were very different. In China, the State/Party is first, followed by your job, then your family and finally your belief system...if you happen to have one. He elaborated and gave examples in each category, and when it came to belief systems, explained that most Chinese are atheist. He too is an atheist.

I was very interested to hear his comparison. He said that people here put their belief in God first, family second, country next and job last in this particular listing. My initial reaction was a bit surprised. We work with about 22 people from a variety of beliefs (to include none), most not from Godly perspectives. 'God first?' I did consider that his entire 7 years had been spent in the Bible Belt, but his exposure was uncensored from many other sources. 'God first?' Really?

It was both natural and comfortable for me to agree with his assessment about our country and give examples from my own life. But in doing so, I felt... a conviction. That conviction multiplied yesterday during the morning message.

'Tony, Am I truly number 1 in your life?'
Father, I'm not sure that my life exemplifies what my co-worker attributed.
'But, I have commanded you so.'
Yes, I know, I know...but work is so busy, and the new baby and the teenager...wow, and my blog...yes, my blog is important work for You...
'Making fun of Liberals? Hippies in a van? Freedom Rock?'
Yeah, sorry about that one. But liberals...well they hate You! They need to be put in their place!
'Tony, I love liberals too.'
Even San...?
'Yes, especially San Fransisco liberals.'
Aw shoot, I guess that means I need to love them too...I mean...I guess.
'Only if I'm truly first in your life.'

My conviction didn't stop at making fun or talking harsh about liberals though. Is God truly first in my life? Am I committed to Him completely in all that I do? Do I set a daily example that gives God glory in the way that I conduct my life? Am I an effective witness for Christ and the sacrifice He made for all of mankind? Do I take time from each day to spend with God and only with Him?

Even though I try very hard to make God first, I'm afraid I don't like the real answers to those questions. Actually...I'm quite ashamed.

Stupid Youth Sundays...where was our regular Pastor anyway?! And, how can he just leave like that?!

'Does that really matter... Tony?
No. He steps on my toes too.

I'm starting today...total commitment...right after lunch. Hey, how about Chinese take-out? No wait, aw man...I'm on a diet! Stupid diets!

Yet another Christian killed in Afghanistan.

The story is a leading AP story -

Taliban: Aid worker killed for preaching

Here's her story - Gayle Williams


Please lift up a prayer for Gayle's family and celebrate she is in Heaven this day!

Mt Everest? Sure, I can do that!

This is a repost of a blog I wrote over a year ago for the Stick with Jesus website no longer active. I wanted it to be a part of this blog because the subject matter is so important to me.

Music is such an important part of most people's lives today. It can lift our spirits, mellow us out, fire us up, drag us down…it pretty much always invokes an emotional response when we listen on one level or another.

Today while driving home from work, I experienced one of those emotions in a major way. You see, I was driving along in my own little private world of thoughts and images, where the sky is always Dodger blue and the mailbox is only filled with birthday cards. Yeah, and you always have ice cream in the freezer that has never been opened before…anyway…that's when Josh Groban's tenor voice filled my car with a very familiar song.

When I am down and oh my soul so weary
When troubles come and my heart burdens me
Then I am still and wait here in the silence
Until you come and sit a while with me

You raise me up so I can stand on mountains
You raise me to walk on stormy seas
I am strong when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be

My eyes filled with tears as I drove along heading directly for the person that embodies that very song for me. She will be waiting for me, glad to see me once again…wait a minute…she? That's a Christian song about Jesus isn't it?

There was a very difficult time in my life when that precise thought, about that very song, confused me. You see, I was separated from her, but she, just like my Savior, stood by me and kept me strong, faithful and focused. I would hear Josh Groban and feel equally emotional about the lyrics that described what both meant to me. So much…so strong.

Guilt would then lead to prayer and study in God's word about why I was confusing the two, when one day in reading I came across Ephesians 5:25:

Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church…

That's when I clearly came to the understanding that I'm supposed to love her, yes my beautiful wife and soul mate, just as strong as Jesus loves me…meaning only He comes before her in my heart and soul. A wonderful peace came over me. I felt that peace today again on the way home to be with her.

Marriage is an important bond to God. He gave us so much in His word about what He expects in our marriages. I'm so glad I have a marriage built on the foundation of God. I'm most appreciative He blessed me with a wonderful woman who is only second to Him. She lifts me up…just like Jesus.

My wish is that God blesses you, as He has me, with an amazing spouse….or maybe He has already. Amen.

Is It Just Me? I Kinda Doubt It...

For several years on my website http://www.stickwithjesus.com/ (no longer operating), I've blogged about numerous personal experiences and observations that stayed within 'religiously correct' parameters to avoid confusing or offending any Christian who might read them. I'm a God-fearing, Jesus-loving Christian myself, but I often feel confined by the etiquette Christians are posed to adhere to when discussing personal views on religious theology and modern politics.

No more! I have a personal conviction for young people today who struggle with the normalcy of doubt and confusion surrounding their Christian faith. Or, the non-believer who is repulsed at the splintered factions Christianity has become but still feels the tug of a risen Savior on the heart. The one who loves the beautiful story of promise and hope in the life of Jesus Christ but can't always see the message in His followers today.

How about religion and politics? The perplexed Christian whose political views are far from Republican and feels alienated by a two-party all-or-nothing system of governing that leaves them as well as millions of others struggling to find an identity in the current U.S. political process. Or, the revisionist history of our country that has become nearly as fractured as Christianity and caused several generations now to lose faith in the founding principles our great nation was forged.

Let's discuss them all...and much more. I love God, and I love my country. But, I also understand that God is much, much bigger than any nation, denomination, race or generation. In an open, respectful forum, I hope to bring to light a number of politically and religiously avoided topics that Christians should think about and challenge. In doing so, maybe we can expose the message of Jesus as the truth it was actually meant to be. The true message of love and acceptance the way He practiced it in His life on Earth over 2000 years ago.

Keep an open heart and mind as you read.